Driven by rumours exodus of NE people continues from Karnataka

Northeastern women wait with their baggage to board trains home, at a railway station in Bangalore. Thousands of people from the northeast are fleeing the ...

Policemen stand guard as youths from northeastern states wait to board trains at a station in Bangalore. AP/Aijaz Rahi

A northeastern man holds a child as they wait to board a train to head home, at a railway station in Bangalore. AP/Aijaz Rahi

A girl from the northeast eats an apple as she waits to take a train home, at a station in Bangalore. AP/Aijaz Rahi

Two cyclists ride past a burnt vehicle in Rangiya, about 55 kilometers west of Guwahati, Assam. AP/Anupam Nath

A policeman inspects the site of violence in Rangiya, about 55 kilometers west of Guwahati, in Assam. AP/Anupam Nath

A northeastern man drinks water as he waits with others to board a special train to go back home, at a station in Bangalore. AP/Aijaz ...

A volunteer from local organization Fight Against Corruption writes a placard asking people from northeastern states not to leave, outside a train station in Bangalore. ...

People from northeastern states wait to board a special train to go back home, at a train station in Bangalore. AP/Aijaz Rahi

People from the northeast wait to board a special train to go back home, at a train station in Bangalore. AP/Aijaz Rahi

Appeals and assurances of safety by the Karnataka government notwithstanding, people from northeast continued to flee the state in hordes for the third consecutive day today, driven by rumours of impending attacks.

The exodus so far confined to Bangalore has now spread to some other parts with people of the northeastern region living in Mysore, Mangalore and Kodagu arriving here in trains and buses and rushing to railway counters to buy tickets.

More than 15,000 people have fled the city in the past two days following the rumours, official sources said today.

The Railways had sold 9,718 tickets for the two special trains that headed to Guwahati last night, Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore, Anil Kumar Agarwal, said on Friday morning.

Officials estimate the number of people from the northeast, including students, residing in Bangalore in the range of 2.5 lakh and 2.75 lakh.

The government continued to reach out to the community urging them to stay on and assured them that it is committed to safeguarding their lives and property in Karnataka.

"We on behalf of people of Karnataka and Government once again reassure the people of the northeastern Community that they are safe and welcomed in Karnataka", the government said in an advertisement, signed by chief minister Jagadish Shettar and home minister R Ashoka, published in newspapers today.

The Government said no violent incidents have been reported. "We thereby urge not to heed to rumours and rest assured that stringent security measures have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents".

Strict action would be taken against anyone spreading rumours. "We also request the north-eastern media not to go by unconfirmed reports which can create further fear and confusion," Shettar and Ashoka said.

"The exodus of Northeast people from the city is not due to threat factor, but due to anxiety to be with their parents at a time when Assam has been gripped by violence," law and parliamentary minister S Suresh Kumar said.

Official sources said Railways have arranged a special train to Guwahati which would leave in the afternoon. "Looking at the demand for tickets to northeastern states, we may arrange some more special trains," a railway official said.

Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar, home minister R Ashok, DGP Lalrokhuma Pachau, himself from the northeastern state of Mizoram, and Bangalore Police Commissioner Jyotiprakash Mirji have repeatedly assured the northeastern people of their safety, but rumours have overwhelmed them.

The seriousness of the situation prompted PM Manmohan Singh to declare in Delhi on Thursday that "we must work together to ensure that all people from other states do not feel threatened by rumour-mongering and SMSes. We have to maintain peace at any cost".

Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told reporters outside Parliament, "I request the nation through you, don't spread such rumours... there is peace, all steps have been taken."

Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar told representatives of northeastern organisations in Bangalore, "The entire government is with you. We will protect the interests of the northeastern people."